


Be Still, My Soul, Be Still

by havisham



Category: Eagle of the Ninth - Rosemary Sutcliff
Genre: M/M, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-11
Updated: 2012-11-11
Packaged: 2017-11-18 10:53:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/560238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/havisham/pseuds/havisham
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marcus waits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Be Still, My Soul, Be Still

On the dawn of the last day, the villagers avoided hut as if it was cursed, for both the moans of sick man and the shouts of the conjurer had died down to an unnatural lull. Inside, Marcus crouched in the dark, hardly daring to breath. 

A thousand recriminations rang in his head -- how could he have done it, how could he have let his friend go and recapture the eagle, all to regain _his_ father's honor? It was a thing that should have been Marcus' task, however doomed it was to fail! If Esca was caught, if he was killed... 

Marcus had a sudden vision of Esca sinking down into the cold, dark waters of the mere, the weeds tangling in his russet hair, and his restless eyes gone blank at last -- dead, dead, all because of him! 

A noise roused Marcus from his dark dreams, and he saw -- Esca, alive and well, though hardly recognizable, covered as he was in filth -- it was only his eyes were familiar, and achingly so. Marcus had no thought, none, of Roman propriety, of reserve or of anything like caution, as he embraced Esca and kissed him, full on the mouth, bringing away with him a taste of brackish water and a coppery thread of blood. Though, it was true, there was a corner of his mind that registered a dull thud of metal hitting the floor. 

But more than that, ever so much more, Marcus was aware of Esca, living, breathing, foul, and utterly, utterly beloved. 

"Ah, Marcus..."

And Marcus felt himself flush, he had done wrong, _again_ , oh how could he -- but then he felt a cool touch of Esca's fingers on his hot face.

Esca said quietly, "They will know that the eagle has gone by now. We will continue this --" he looked uncertain, in the dim light of the hut, "when there is time?" 

If they should survive, yes, Marcus nodded fervently, and only now did he think to ask: "Esca! You do have the eagle?"


End file.
